Day 18, and today’s Now! compilation takes us to 19th November 1990.
Here’s some music from some people who may have grown out of Lego by 1990, ’cause apparently it’s only millennials who keep playing with that stuff into adulthood.
Track 1: The Beautiful South – A Little Time
Nice tune, vocals and atmosphere, but this track’s a bit slow for me.
Track 2: Steve Miller Band – The Joker
This one was later a Modos classic when I hung about there in 2008-2011 – it was always on DJ Mantash’s playlist. Good times.
Good tune, great lyrics, solid head-nodder.
Track 3: Elton John – Sacrifice
Quite a nice ballad – lovely tune, nice tinkly synth hooks.
Track 4: Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
Really like this Roxette ballad – lovely vocals, great atmosphere. Awesome track.
Track 5: Phil Collins – Something Happened On The Way To Heaven
Epic intro, epic tune. Like this one.
Track 6: Wilson Phillips – Hold On
Great rock ballad! Love the tune and the vocals.
Track 7: Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Classic, beautiful song. Perfect lyrics, stunning melody.
Track 8: The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
No idea why this was back in the charts, but it’s a ’60s favourite for me, so I’m not complaining!
Track 9: Belinda Carlisle – (We Want) The Same Thing
Probably my favourite Belinda Carlisle track – brilliant, epic rock ballad.
Track 10: Status Quo – The Anniversary Waltz [Part 1]
Irritating retro-tinged dad-rock medley of all of Status Quo’s worst tracks. Not my cup of tea.
Track 11: INXS – Suicide Blonde
Great instrumentals, nice upbeat atmospheric pop-rock. Really like this one.
Track 12: Public Image Ltd – Don’t Ask Me
Good tune, like the guitar intro, interesting vocals (well, it is John Lydon). Great track.
Track 13: Talk Talk – It’s My Life
I’m a little surprised to find this featuring so late, ’cause I had it in my head as being late ’80s. Great synth line, great tune.
Track 14: The LAs – There She Goes
The LAs crack the definitive ’90s sound early on. Super acoustic and plaid-sounding.
Track 15: Tina Turner – Be Tender With Me Baby
Pretty dull ballad, but some of the instrumentals are quite interesting.
Track 16: Robert Palmer and UB40 – I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
Standard reggae tune from UB40, with Robert Palmer’s vocals giving it plus points.
Track 17: Pet Shop Boys – So Hard
Pet Shop Boys enter the ’90s with some slightly harder electro. The usual great synth lines are still intact though.
Track 18: Bass-O-Matic – Fascinating Rhythm
Nice bassline (as you might expect) but everything else is a bit generic.
Track 19: Soul II Soul and Kym Mazelle – Missing You
Boring soul track with standard early ’90s beat, nothing special.
Track 20: DNA and Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner
Love that jaunty singalong hook! Fantastic track.
Track 21: Sting – Englishman In New York
An all-time favourite – lovely, melancholy song with beautiful lyrics and a gorgeous sax solo. Love this one.
Track 22: The Cure – Close To Me ’90
Really like this 1990 reworking of the 1985 classic. Great track from the Cure.
Track 23: Neneh Cherry – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Not enough melody here for me, although there’s quite a nice bassline that starts up mid-track.
Track 24: Blue Pearl – Little Brother
Dull tune, annoying vocals. Not keen on this one.
Track 25: Kylie Minogue – Step Back In Time
Annoying chorus alert! It would be a solid pop song, but that chorus makes it the kind of unwanted earworm that I need to cleanse with OMG ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS.
Track 26: Kim Appleby – Don’t Worry
Nice ’70s-retro-tinged pop tune. Quite like this one.
Track 27: Technotronic – Megamix
Largely enjoyable medley of dance tracks, some better than others.
Track 29: Bombalurina – Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
This silly novelty track was played at every birthday party I went to in the early ’90s. It’s not high art, let’s face it, but I still find myself happily nodding along.
Track 30: Betty Boo – Where Are You Baby?
For some reason, I’ve got a vague, distant memory of Betty Boo being a figure of derision in Smash Hits in the early ’90s. But then, lots of artists were, so I could be getting confused.
The track’s not much to write home about either way – bad rap verse, mid-century-retro-tinged chorus. Not my thing.
Track 31: The Adventures Of Stevie V – Dirty Cash (Money Talks)
Like the atmosphere on this one – good solid pop, with a bit of sax in there for good measure.
Track 32: MC Hammer – Have You Seen Her?
Irritating slow track from MC Hammer with slightly creepy vocals. Not a fan of this one.
Track 33: Jimmy Somerville – To Love Somebody
Odd, slow reggae cover of the Bee Gees classic. Still, better than the saccharine ballads that usually end these compilations.